Ice tray



June 11,, 1946, R c; YANTls 2,401,894

ICE TRAY Filed Jan. 24, 1942 W FF J P" 1 M A J J INVENTOR. BOY C VA/VT/SPatented June 11, 1946 Roy 0. Yantis, Greenvill mesne assignments, tCompany, Greenville,

Michigan e, Mich, assignor, by o Gibson Refrigerator Mich a corporationof Application January 24, 1942, Serial No. 428,019 2 Claims. (Cl.62-4085) This invention relates to ice trays for refrigerators and moreparticularly to removable grids therefor.

Heretofore it has been the usual practice to provide ice trays withgrids formed of a plurality of relatively movable metal partitions tofacilitate the removal of individual ice cubes. The present shortage ofaluminum, copper, and other non-corrosive metals has practicallyeliminated the manufacture of such grids because steel, the only metalavailable in quantity, must be coated with a corrosion resistant coatingwhich soon chips and wears off when the partitions rub against eachother while separating the ice cubes from the grid.

All rubber grids have been employed, but rubber is a poor conductor ofheat and is prone to tear, so that frequent replacement is necessary.

The present invention has for its principal object the provision of anovel grid which will overcome the above mentioned disadvantages ofother types of grids, while permitting the easy removal of individualice cubes.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a simple andeconomically manufactured grid which can be easily disassembled forrepair or replacement of parts.

These objects Will more fully appear in the following specification whenread in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an ice tray containing a grid embodying theinvention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same, a portion of the trayside wall being broken away to show the interior construction of thegrid;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of one of the transverse portions;and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the longitudinalpartition of the grid.

Broadly, the invention resides in an ice tray grid composed of arelatively flexible and extensible longitudinal partition and aplurality of relatively rigid transverse partitions detachably connectedto the longitudinal partition. The longitudinal partition may be, and ishere shown as being, formed of soft rubber. The transverse partitionsmay be, and are here shown as bein formed of thin sheet metal.

The structure shown in the drawing comprises a shallow ice tray I formedof metal. It has inclined side and end Walls, and a stiffening flangeabout its upper edge.

Positioned within the tray is a grid 9 forming with the walls of thetray individual compartments or molds for ice cubes. The grid iscomposed of a longitudinal partition or backbone II in the middle of thetray, and a plurality of transverse partitions I2, all attachedtogether, and removable as a unit from the tray.

The longitudinal partition II is here shown as being made of rubber. Itis very flexible, permitting the partitions I2 to be moved freely in alldirections relative to each other, but stiff enough to support thepartitions in the positions shown when the tray is filled only withwater. The partition Il may be cut from sheet rubber or it may be moldedin one piece. In any event it is provided in its upper and lower edgeswith longitudinally spaced apart pairs of aligned notches l3 of a, widthapproximately the thickness of the partitions I2.

The partitions I2 are relatively rigid. They are here shown as beingfashioned from thin sheet metal. Their shape in elevation is shown inFigure 3, wherein it will be seen that they are slightly higher than thedepth of the tray and of a width slightly less than that of the tray. Atthe upper edge of'each the metal is reverseli bent to provide astiffening bead I4; I

Centrally of each partition I 2 a vertically elongated opening I5 isformed. The transverse width of the opening I5 is the same as thethickness of the rubber partition I I, and the height of the opening isthe same as the distance between the adjacent edges of each pair ofnotches I 3. Each partition I2 is slit at I6 from the bottom of theopening l5 through the bottom edge of the partition.

The transverse partitions I2 are assembled on the longitudinal partitionII by springing apart the two end portions of partitions I2 on laterallyopposite sides of the opening l5, whereby to open the slit I6 enough toreceive the partition II. The parts of the partitions I2 above and belowthe opening I5 are inserted in the notches I3 and the slit I6 closed upagain by pinching the ends of the partition together. When that is donethe upright edges of the opening I 5 grip the partition II firmlywhereby the partitions are held in proper assembled relationship, andrelative movement between the transverse and longitudinal partitions isminimized at the connection therebetween. Thus, while the rubberlongitudinal member itself is flexible, relative rotary or swivelmovement between the transverse and longitudinal partitions is avoided.This helps to keep the grid in proper position within the tray andprevents undue twisting of the transverse partitions in the tray.

The grid is placed in the tray as shown, it is filled with water, andthe latter is frozen in'the usual way. To remove the ice cubes thebottom and/or sides of the tray may be warmed slightly and the grid andice cubes removed. The individual cubes then may be broken loose fromthe grid by twisting the grid with the fingers, the rubber longitudinalmember flexing topermitthat to be done easily. i

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention provides a gridwhich is economically manufactured and easily assembled. It is easilydisassembled for replacement of the longitudinal grid if the lattershould be torn or otherwise become unfit for use. The greater part ofthe grid is of metal, a better conductor of heat than rubber, therebyproviding a more efiicient device than an all rubber construction.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the I appended claims.

I claim:

1. An ice tray grid comprising a one piece longitudinal partition and aplurality of spaced apart parallel relatively rigid one piece transversepartitions firmly attached to the longitudinal partition, saidtransverse partitions having reinforcing beads adjacent their upperedges, said longitudinal. partition being relatively flexible andextensible and substantially bisecting each transverse partition.

adjacent their upper edges, said longitudinal partition being relativelyflexible and extensible and substantially bisecting each transversepartition.

ROY C. YANTIS.

-2. An ice tray grid comprising a, one piece longitudinal partition anda plurality of spaced

